CRABP2 Human

CRABP2 is structurally similar to CRABP1 but has a lower affinity for retinoic acid . It acts as a cytosol-to-nuclear shuttling protein, facilitating the binding of retinoic acid to its cognate receptor complex and transferring it to the nucleus . This process is essential for the retinoid signaling pathway, which regulates gene expression and cell differentiation .

Retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A, plays a significant role in anti-inflammatory processes by ligating and transactivating nuclear RA receptors that control gene expression and cell differentiation . CRABP2 is involved in this pathway by binding to and transporting retinoic acid from the cytoplasm to the nucleus . This protein is specifically co-expressed with RAR-β and cellular retinol binding protein 1 genes in certain tissues .

The CRABP2 gene is inducible, suggesting its importance in retinoic acid-mediated regulation of human skin growth, differentiation, and development . During embryonic development, CRABP2 is present in tissues throughout the body in a more diffuse pattern than CRABP1 . It is abundant in the trunk and hindbrain, and to a lesser extent, the forebrain . Structures such as the limbs, hindbrain, and cranial neural crest cells are highly sensitive to high levels of retinoic acid .

CRABP2 is associated with various diseases, including embryonal carcinoma and keratoacanthoma . It is also linked to increased circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol . The protein’s role in the retinoid signaling pathway makes it a potential target for therapeutic interventions in conditions related to retinoic acid metabolism and signaling.